Improvement in fare-boxes



UNITED STATES PATENT O EIcE;

HENRY BARANGER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOUBI, ASSIGNOR TO JAMES F. CHAPMAN AND LAURA H. BARANGER, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT m FARE-BOXES.

7 Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 138,839, dated May 13, 1873; application filed October 22, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY BARANGER, of St. Louis, in the county of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain Improvements in Fare-Boxes, of which the following is a specification The nature of my invention relates to a street-car fare-box, in which each fare is automatically separated from the fares previously deposited, and temporarily detained in a passage-way open to inspection and for the admission of light from all quarters, and wholly cut oft from the reach of the driver and passengers, before being deposited with the fares previously collected; and it consists, first, in constructing the fare-box of two chambers communicating with each other by means of a passage-way constructed entirely of glass, said passage-way being securely retained between said chambers, in the manner hereinafter described. Second, in so constructing and arranging said chambers and passage-way that the fare, on being deposited in the first chamber, will be temporarily detained therein, and afterward automatically dropped into the glass passage-way, where it will be arrested separately and detained until the next is introduced for the purpose of inspection,

and then automatically. dropped among the fares previously deposited. Third, in an improved device, consisting of two half-cylinders, arranged horizontally across the upper chamber directly below the fare-openin g, with the concave sides toward each other, in such a manner that when the fare-openingis closed their upper edges will overlap and their lower edges be apart, and when opened to introduce a fare they will partially rotate, so that their lower edges will meet and overlap and their upper edges will be apart, forming a receptacle where the fare will be temporarily held (which will be wholly cut off from the interior of the box) until the cylinders assume their original position after the fare is introduced, when the fare will drop upon a table or shelf below, thus providing at all times against any direct communication with the interior of the box from the outside, and affording the utmost security against the abstraction of fares. Fourth, in the combination with said cylininders of a plate or shield, which serves as a door for the fare-opening, and also as a lever by which said cylinders are rotated on the introduction of a fare. Fifth, in the combination with said cylinders, of a hammer and an bell, of an auxiliary hammer, which may be operated from the outside as a signal to the passengers.

The principal advantages of my invention are the following First, the fares, after being introduced, are absolutely secure against removal, except by violence, without possession of thekey, for at no time is there a direct communication from the outside with the interior of the box. When closed the shield and upper edges of the cylinders secure the box, and when the shield is pushed back and the upper edges of the cylinders are apart, their lower edges overlap and close the communication with the interior. Second, each fare is separately detained in the passage-way, within sight and under a strong light, until the next is introduced, independent of any action on the part of the driver, and then dropped automatically on the introduction of the next between the blades of a fan-wheel below, Where it can be retained in sight with others before being turned into the drawer, afi'ording two opportunities to count, which secures additional safety against mistakes. Third, the passage-way where the fares are temporarily detained being wholly of glass, is illuminated from all quarters during the day, and at night it may be lighted by means of a reflector in combination with a lamp in a lampbox wholly detached from the fare-box, by this means providing against any damage to the fare-box from smoke and grease, and the obstruction of the view of two fares consequent upon the use of the lamp and other devices for lighting heretofore attached to fare-boxes.

In the drawing, Figure 1 represents an elevation of the front of my fare-box. Fig. 2 represents an elevation of the back of the same. Fig. 3 is a view of the upper chamber with the top removed; Fig. 4., a view of the interior of the upper part from one side; Fig. 5, a partial view of the interior from the opposite side; Fig. 6, a partial view of the lower part of the box with the front removed; and Fig. 7, a sectional view of the lower part of the box.

A represents the upper chamber of the box, which is constructed of wood or other suitable material; and B, the passage-way, constructed entirely of glass, which I prefer to cast in one piece; and C, the lower chamber, which is constructed of wood or other suitable material. The upper and lower chambers A C may be attached to a strong back, D, of wood, metal, or other material, with an opening opposite the glass passage-way, as shown, and the glass passage-way firmly-secured between them in a rabbet formed along their edges for the purpose; but in practice I prefer to secure the two chambers at the back by metal columns or standards, similar to the standards a a, by means of which the front parts of said chambers are secured. The parts or chambers A G are secured in front by means of columns or standards a a, which also serve as a protection to the glass. These columns are firmly secured at their ends inside the compartments by means of screws or otherwise, out of reach, and so that the glass passage-way will be rigidly retained in its position. E F are halfcylinders, secured horizontally across the upper portion or chamber of the box on shafts c f, in such a position that their upper edges are directly below the opening G, through which the fares are introduced. To the upper part of the cylinder F is attached a plate or shield, H, which serves to close the fare-openin g, and as a lever for rotating the cylinders. The cylinder E is somewhat smaller than the cylinder F, and the two are arranged with their concave sides toward each other, in such a manner that the smaller cylinder will revolve within the larger, and so that when their upper edges are overlapped their lower edges will be apart, and vice versa. At the ends of the axes or shafts on which they rotate, to the right, are secured a segment of a cog-wheel, f and a cog-wheel, f which gear into each other, and serve to transmit the motion from the cylinder F to the cylinder E. I is a spiral spring, secured at one end to the cylinder F, and at the other to the inside of the box, which keeps the cylinders in proper position when the box is closed, and returns them thereto after a fare is deposited. J is a catch attached to the cylinder F, which engages a cam, K, on a rockshaft, K, to which the hammer L is secured by means of a rod, L. Above said rod is a spring, M, which throws the hammer against a bell, N, when the cam is released from the catch. On the return of the cylinder a spring in the cam K gives, and allows the catch J to pass. 0 is a spring-rest, which supports the hammer when not in action. the axis of the cylinder E is attached a cam, 1?, (similar to the cam K,) which engages a cam, Q, on a rock-shaft, Q, as said cylinder rotates. To said shaft is secured a lever, B, the end of whichis linked to a sliding rod, S, which extends downward into the glass passage-way, and is pivoted to a table or shelf, T. The upper end of said rod is slotted, and embraces and slides upon a small pin secured to the inside of the box, which serves to keep said rod in place. Said table is secured to a rock-shaft, t, bearing at its ends in rods T T extending downward from the upper chamber of the box. The cylinder E, as it is rotated, depresses the lever 1% by means of the cam on the rock-shaft, and the lever in turn depresses the rod S, upsetting the table or shelf T, as

shown in Fig. 5. U is a spring, secured at one end to the rod S, and at the other to the interior of the box, which serves to return the rod and table to their original positions after the cam is released. V is a bent lever, pivoted to a standard, V to one end of which is secured a hammer by means of a rod, V To the other end is secured a rod, W, passing through the back of the box, by meansof which the'driver can strike the bell. W is a spiral spring, which throws the hammer against the bell. X is a fan-wheel, secured directly below theglass passage-way in the upper part of the lower chamber of the box upon a shaft, 00. The wheel is provided at one end with a notched plate, m into the notches of which aspring-catch, m is pressed as the wheel revolves, in order that it may be stopped at the proper position. The shaft 00 extends through the back of the box and terminates in a knob, Z, on the outside, by means of which the driver canrotate the wheel. Said shaft is secured in such a manner that it may be easily withdrawn, the wheel being so constructed as to look upon it when in place. By this means the wheel may be readily removed forthe purpose of reaching the interior of the glass passage-way.- The shield "H, which closes the fare-openin g, is covered with a hood, h; or it may be protected in any other convenient manner; and the box is provided with a drawer in the lower chamber, secured by a look, as in the ordinary boxes.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A fare-box consisting of two chambers, communicating with each other by means of a glass passage-way, when said passage-Way is divided into two compartments by means of a tilting shelf so arranged, in connection with a fan-wheel or its equivalent below, that the fares will be automatically separated and detained singly in' the upper compartment for inspection, and may afterward be collected and detained in the lower compartment for further inspection previous to being turned into the To one end of drawer, substantially as herein described and 4. In combination with the cylinders E F shown. and shield or plate H, the alarm-bell and ham- 2. The combination of the cylinders E F mer, operated by a cam on one of the cylinwith the plate or shield H, constructed and ders, substantially as described.

arranged to operate substantially as described. HENRY BARANGE R.

3. In combination with the cylinders E F, Witnesses:

the tilting shelf T, constructed and arranged J. F. CHAPMAN,

to operate substantially as described. N. BARANGER. 

